This Mama Cooks!

No-cook pasta sauce: Caprese Penne Pasta Salad

2010-09-03T12:33:07Z

My friend Kalyn is looking for No-Cook Pasta Sauce for Nights When It's Too Hot to Cook. Here’s one I created last summer when I had my garden was bursting with tomatoes and basil.

The exact nutritional and Weight Watchers POINTS values will depend on what type of pasta you use – regular, whole wheat or low carb. I recommend using nutritious whole wheat pasta for the taste and health benefits, though the low carb pastas are delicious and healthy, too.

Caprese Penne Pasta Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 12-ounce box of low carb or whole wheat penne pasta
1 cup diced tomatoes – use Roma and/or yellow tomatoes
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
8 ounces of buffalo mozzarella, diced
1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped fine
1/2 cup no fat Italian salad dressing

Directions:

Cook penne as directed until the pasta is al dente (firm but cooked through) – about 13-15 minutes.
Prepare a large bowl or pan with ice water – enough to cover the cooked pasta.
Drain the pasta and immediately submerge it in the ice water to stop the cooking process. If necessary, change out the water or add more ice to cool down the noodles.
Chop tomatoes, mozzarella and basil and place in a large serving bowl.
Add cooled noodles.
Cover with Italian dressing and toss to coat.
Chill salad in refrigerator until it’s time to serve.
Toss salad once more before serving.

Nutritional information for Caprese Penne Pasta dish using whole wheat pasta:

Calories 326
Calories from Fat 80
Total Fat 8.9g
Saturated Fat 4.9g
Cholesterol 21mg
Sodium 498mg
Total Carbohydrates 45.6g
Dietary Fiber 6.7g
Sugars 3.0g
Protein 19.5g
Vitamin A 14%
Vitamin C 11%
Calcium 31%
Iron 17%

Nutrition Grade B+ from CalorieCount.

Nutritional information for low carb and whole wheat pastas

Atkins Cuisine Penne Pasta has 140 calories, 1g of fat, 60mg sodium, 18g fiber, 1g sugar, and 11g protein per serving (1/2 cup dry pasta). A cup of cooked pasta would be 2 Weight Watchers POINTS.
Garofalo organic whole wheat spaghetti has 180 calories, 1g of fat, 20mg of sodium, 4g fiber, 2g sugar and 8g protein in 1 cup of cooked pasta. This equals 3 Weight Watchers POINTS.
Ronzoni Smart Taste has 180 calories, 1g of fat, 5mg sodium, 6g fiber, 2g sugar, and 6g of protein or 3 Weight Watchers POINTS.
Dreamfields Pasta has 190 calories, 1g of fat, 10mg sodium, 5g fiber, 1g sugar, and 7g of protein or 3 Weight Watchers POINTS.

Egg Handling 101: everything you need to know about egg safety

2010-08-31T01:56:47Z

Today’s guest post about egg and food safety is from Mary Lee Chin, MS, RD of Nutrition Edge Communications.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mary at the American Egg Board’s Good Egg Project blogger event last March in Arizona. If you want to learn more about egg nutrition, you can watch my video of Mary’s talk at the Good Egg Project event.

Safe Egg Handling 101: clean, separate, cook and chill completely

In the wake of the recent half billion egg recall, it’s a good time to revisit basic safe food handling guidelines. People are concerned and sensitized of the safety of consuming eggs. But it only takes a few simple steps to keep this nutrient dense food in our diet safely.

“Clean, separate, cook and chill will help keep not only eggs, but all foods safe in your kitchen,” says local registered dietitian Mary Lee Chin, who consults with the Egg Nutrition Center.

“I am concerned that people should not eliminate nutrient-rich eggs from their diet due to the highly publicized recall. Four simple steps can help keep this protein-rich food safely on the table,” says Chin.

Keep everything clean – hands, surfaces and utensils

First, keep everything clean. This includes washing hands and utensils that have come into contact with raw eggs (or raw foods in general). You avoid any cross contamination and that’s a good habit to get into when you handle any raw food.

How long to wash your hands? Experts recommend about 20 seconds with warm soapy water–about the length of time to sing the ABC’s as your preschoolers know.

And while not a major source of contamination, launder your reusable grocery sacks. Or designate a few reusable bags or use the plastic bags to pack foods of animal origin away from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Keep things separate

Next, keep eggs and raw food separate. Keep eggs and raw items separate in your grocery cart and bag them separate from the foods that will be consumed raw. Don’t put raw eggs or raw meat with your fruits and vegetables that you will not be cooking. Keep a separate cutting board for raw meats and another for food preparation does not require cooking, such as salads. Again, this simple step helps avoid cross contamination.

Cook your eggs properly

Cook your eggs to at least at 160 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where the egg yolk is firm. Eliminate recipes that use raw eggs such as meringues that are whipped up from raw egg whites and folded into mousses or pies for example. Pre-pasteurized egg whites are options for these recipes. Completely cooked, is completely safe.

Keep your eggs cool

Keep food well chilled. Make the grocery shopping trip the last of your errands before heading home. If you are going to be running errands after the trip to the grocery, store the perishables, including eggs, in a cooler with an ice pack, in your car.

Eggs should be stored in the refrigerator that is between 33 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep eggs in the original container in the main body of refrigerator, not on the egg carrier in the door. It is difficult to keep the temperature constant, especially if you have a family that continuously opens the refrigerator.

When you have a cooked egg or other perishable food product don’t let it sit out on the counter, put it in the refrigerator. The rule is that if perishable food is left two hours at room temperature, it should be discarded.

When cooked properly, eggs are always a safe, wholesome and convenient food for you and your family to enjoy. Eggs are all-natural and packed with a number of nutrients. One egg has 13 essential vitamins and minerals in varying amounts, high-quality protein, unsaturated fats and antioxidants, all for 70 calories.

Remember, “You can still keep nutrient rich eggs a safe part of your diet by following these simple safe food handling practices: clean, separate, cook and chill,” reminds Chin.

For more information on the salmonella egg recall and the safe handling of eggs, please visit eggsafety.org. or fightbac.org. Also check out my post, The hard boiled truth about egg safety and the salmonella recall, at Mom Central Food.

Healthy pizza? You bet with this whole wheat pizza dough recipe

2010-08-28T23:11:00Z

Pizza is one of the foods many people give up when trying to lose weight or when they want to eat more healthfully. That doesn’t have to be the case. There are several ways you can make pizza more nutritious:

Load up on veggies like mushrooms, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, asparagus and onions. Other good choices are olives and artichoke hearts as long as they are packed in brine or water and not oil.
Use low fat ricotta for white pizza and low fat mozzarella.
Make your own homemade tomato sauce or use a canned tomato sauce that has no added sugar. I like Muir Glen’s pasta sauces.
Use lean proteins like shrimp, chicken and tofu.
Use fatty meats like ham and prosciutto sparingly.
Experiment and have fun!

Using whole wheat pizza dough is another way to healthify your pizza. My favorite whole wheat pizza dough recipe is based on Barbara Kingsolver’s Friday Night Pizza (PDF) from her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life.

All purpose healthy whole wheat pizza dough

Makes one large pizza crust or six “party size” individual pizzas

Ingredients:

1 packet of yeast or fast rise yeast (don’t use pizza dough yeast)
3/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (or other heart healthy oil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour

Directions:

To make crust, dissolve the yeast into the warm water.
Ad add oil and salt to that mixture.
Add the the flours and knead them into the liquid mixture using a dough hook on your stand mixer.
Cover and let dough rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes.
After the dough has risen, place your pizza stone in the oven and heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. (If you don’t have a pizza stone, preheat the oven and use a pizza pan instead.)
Take the risen dough and roll out into a 12 inch pizza crust on a clean, floured countertop or cutting board.
Using your fingers to roll the edge into an outer crust. Make it as thick as you like.
Carefully slide your crust onto a pizza peel or pizza pan. Add toppings – first sauce, then meat and/or veggies, then cheese last. If you have to slide your pizza on to a pizza stone, don’t overload your pizza. The heavier it is, the harder it is to slide.
Carefully slide the pizza onto the heated pizza stone. (Or place your pizza pan in the oven.) Bake your pizza at 425° for about 15-20 minutes or until crust is brown and crisp but before cheese starts to brown too much.

To make pre-cooked party sized pizza crusts:

Preheat the oven and your pizza stone (if using one) to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Take the risen dough and divide it in six small balls. The balls should be the size of a racquet ball, about what you can hold between the cupped palms of both of your hands.
Roll each ball and roll out using a rolling pin on a clean, floured countertop or wooden cutting board. The thinner, the better. Your premade crusts can be round, rectangular or square – up to you.
Slide the dough on to a pizza peel. Then slide the crusts onto a baking stone. (You can use a cookie sheet if you don’t have a pizza stone).
Bake pizzas on a pizza stone at 425° for about 15-20 minutes until crust is brown and crisp.
Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
Top with your favorite healthy party toppings and serve.

Tips:

If you are cooking up several batches of mini pizzas, make sure that dough does not rise too much on rolled out pizza crusts. If it does, just roll it out a a few times more before putting it in the oven.
If you notice your dough is “bubbling” and puffing up like a giant chapati, score the dough with a sharp knife.

Healthy back to school snacking

2010-08-28T23:16:05Z

Sending your kids off to school not only means packing a healthy lunch, but providing a variety of healthy snacks for morning and afternoon breaks and the after school drive back home or on your way to extracurricular activities.

Remember to check for nuts if your school has a nut free food policy or if your child, like mine, is allergic to tree nuts and peanuts.

Back to school store bought snacks

SOYJOY bars – They’re free of trans fats, hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, and chemical additives. Made from ground whole soybeans, the bars include all the nutrients found in soy such as high-quality protein, fiber and isoflavones. SOYJOY uses no genetically modified (GMO) soy and are gluten free. (The Raisin Almond and the Peanut Chocolate Chip varieties contain nuts.)
Bear Naked 100% Pure and Natural Soft-Baked Granola Cookies These delicious and healthy indulgence comes in fruit and nut and chocolate flavors. (Both contain nuts.) They’re made with real whole grain oats and contain 10 grams of whole grain per serving. No artificial flavors, preservatives, cholesterol, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or trans fat
Beak Naked Pure and Natural Granola – Just put some granola in a plastic container or a LunchSkins reusable fabric sandwich bag to munch on during snack time. (Contains nuts.)
Kashi’s snack bars – My new favorite is the Cranberry Walnut Fruit & Grain Bars. My kids love the GOLEAN Crunchy! Bars, though these bars may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts. If you are nut free, try the TLC Cereal Bars in Baked Apple Spice, Blackberry Graham or Ripe Strawberry flavors. These have been a hit with my kids as well, though they do get smooshed and broken in their backpacks and lunch bags.
Kashi cold cereals – These are also a great choice if your child likes munching on dry cereal. My kids think the Heart to Heart cereals (nut free) are fun to eat, especially the heart shaped pieces.
Fruit leathers – My family’s favorites are Stretch Island Fruit and CLIF Kid Organic Twisted Fruit.
Cascadian Farm Organic Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars – Yummy, organic and chocolate – who needs more?
More ideas – a cup of yogurt, a small bottle of kefir or milk, natural (no sugar added) apple sauce in a cup, dried fruit and low fat cheese sticks.

Homemade back to school snack ideas

Classic things like cut up veggies or easy to peel fruits like bananas.
Hard boiled eggs.
Mango Lime Fruit Leather
Healthy, home made muffins: Blueberry Banana Muffins, Raspberry Yogurt Muffins, The Mayo Clinic’s Morning Glory Muffins, Heart smart muffin recipe, Whole grain breakfast cookies
Alton Brown’s Granola Bars (substitute pine nuts – which are seeds and not nuts – for the almonds if you need to make a nut free snack)
After school snack ideas from Healthy Eats on Food Network

_______________

Disclosure: I was a SOYJOY Brand Ambassador at BlogHer ‘10. Kashi and Bear Naked have provided me with product samples. I attended a tour of General Mills (Cascadian Farms' parent company) and Kashi in 2009.

Back to school healthy crunchy tuna wrap

2010-08-28T21:35:45Z

What is it about sandwich wraps that both kids and adults love? Maybe it’s because they’re fun to eat, easy to make, and are super portable. Whatever the case may be, wraps are the way to go for healthy back to school lunches.

First, you need to start off with a healthy, whole grain wrap. My favorite is Flatout Flatbread's Healthy Whole Grain Wraps, especially their multi-grain with flax version, which has 100 calories, 1 gram of sugar, 8 grams of fiber, and is “Best Life Diet” approved. (Their Flatout Light wraps are a healthy choice, too.) Just add some veggies and a lean protein, and you have a gangbuster of a healthy wrap sandwich.

Crunchy Tuna Wrap

Ingredients:

4 ounces (by weight) of white albacore tuna packed in water (drained)
1 handful of premade broccoli cole slaw
1 tablespoon fat free, light or heart healthy mayo
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 Multi-Grain with Flax Flatout Flatbread Whole Grain Wrap

Directions

Combine and mix tuna, slaw, mayo and relish.
Spread evenly on the wrap and roll up.
Cut into sections or eat like a burrito.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 4.5 to 5 depending on mayo (3 POINTS for tuna and 1 POINT for Flatout wrap)

Tips and substitutions

You can find premade broccoli cole slaw next to the regular premade cole slaw in bagged lettuce aisle. I found it at my local Super Walmart, but not at my grocery store…yet. Mann’s Broccoli Cole Slaw is Hungry Girl approved.
Instead of tuna, try canned wild caught salmon. Both tuna and salmon are excellent sources of Omega-3.
Don’t like fish? Try chopped up chicken instead.
If you prefer organic foods, try Gedney Organic Sweet Relish instead of conventional relish.

More Flatout Flatbread healthy wrap sandwich ideas

Peanut Butter, Honey and Strawberry Roll-Up from This Mama Cooks! On a Diet
Egg Salad with Peppers Wrap from This Mama Cooks! On a Diet
Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap from This Mama Cooks! On a Diet
Turkey Apple Flatout Wrap from Flatout Flatbread
Western Omelet Flatout Wrap from Flatout Flatbread
Spicy Smoked Turkey Club Flatout Wrap from Flatout Flatbread
Sweet-N-Crunchy Flatout Wrap from Flatout Flatbread
Mushroom & Chicken Fajitas Flatout Wrap from Flatout Flatbread
Grilled Tarragon Chicken Salad Flatout Wrap from Flatout Flatbread

____________

Disclosure: As a participant in the Flatout Flatout “I left my buns in New York City” walk at BlogHer ‘10, I received a box of Flatout product and goodies.

Back to school with a healthy egg and spinach sandwich

2010-08-28T21:23:47Z

I’ve been using Flatout Flatbread whole wheat wraps in healthy sandwiches for awhile now. They’ve become a staple in my household, like regular bread and corn tortillas. I love them!

Flatout recently came out with FOLDit Flatbread, which makes back to school lunches even easier. I prefer FOLDIt 5 Grain Flax since it contains whole grains, 8 grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein, plus they’re only 100 calories per slice. (The other types use enriched whole wheat flour, have less fiber and more calories, but all of them are delicious!) You can use them to make your favorite sandwich, whether that’s ham and cheese or PB&J. I like FOLDits for egg sandwiches.

FOLDit Flatbread Egg and Spinach Sandwich

Makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

cooking spray
1 egg
salt and pepper
1 FOLDIT Flatbread
handful of spinach leaves
3 to 4 sundried tomatoes (in oil or softened in hot water)

Directions:

Spray pan with cooking spray and cook egg over medium or over easy until the egg yoke is cooked through. (You don’t want runny egg all over your lunch bag!) Add salt and paper to taste.
On a plate or cutting board, place FOLDit Flatbread, than layer with spinach leaves and sundried tomatoes.
Place cooked egg on flatbread and fold over.
Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and place in lunch bag. Keep cool until lunch time.

Kid friendly FOLDit sandwich ideas

Some kids may balk at spinach. Instead, puree spinach (or chop it up in small pieces), add to an egg and scramble. While cooking, shape the egg into a patty. Place egg on flatbread and add slices of cheese and ham, and now you have a “green eggs and ham” sandwich that should be good warm or sold. Or just leave out the spinach and have an egg, ham and cheese sandwich.
Make an egg or tuna fish salad sandwich. You can include chopped up celery and carrots or broccoli slaw. Use low or no fat mayo and some sweet pickle relish.
Nut butters are a great source of protein. Smear it on the flatbread, add fruit like bananas, sliced strawberries, apple slices or dried fruit like raisins or cranberries. If you have a no nut policy at school, keep these for after school snacks.
Meatloaf sandwich! Do I need to say more?
Got vegetarian kids? Try BOCA Burgers! Cook the patty for 1 minute, just enough to defrost it. Then serve it up like a fast food burger - add slices of tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, pickles, etc. You can add a schmear of barbeque sauce, ketchup or mustard, too. Lots of kids like their BOCA burgers cold, but yours may not, so experiment at home first before you pack it in your lunch bag.
Home for lunch? Panini it! Make your favorite FOLDit Flatbread sandwich and put it in your panini press. (I like using a small George Foreman countertop grill.)
Other healthy spreads for FOLDit sandwiches are hummus, low fat cream cheese, Greek yogurt, low or no fat ricotta, or Laughing Cow Wedges combined with slices of your favorite crunchy veggies or fruits.

More FOLDit sandwich ideas from Flatout

____________

Disclosure: As a participant in the Flatout Flatout “I left my buns in New York City” walk at BlogHer ‘10, I received a box of Flatout product and goodies.

Back to school healthy breakfast recipes: Mini Italian Breakfast Casseroles

2010-08-28T21:36:03Z

If your family needs something a little more substantial than plain eggs in the morning, this breakfast egg casserole with ham, cheese and spinach. Prepare the night before and cook in the morning when you shower and dress.

Mini Italian Breakfast Casseroles

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 eggs
3 tablespoon of milk
1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese
Dash pepper
1 cup baby spinach, chopped
4 slices ham

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.
Whisk eggs, milk, 1Tbsp. cheese and pepper in medium bowl until blended.
Add spinach and stir into mix.
Line four greased 10-ounce ramekins or custard cups with ham, pressing against bottoms and sides.
Divide egg mixture among ramekins and place on a baking pan.
Bake in center of 350°F oven until custard is just set, about 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

This Mama’s Tips

Cut slits in ham slices as needed to make it lie flat against the ramekins.
Don't overcook or you have rubbery eggs.
To lower the fat content substitute two of the eggs with 6 egg whites or 2/3 cup of liquid egg whites.
Don’t have Parmesan cheese? You can substitute mozzarella or leave it completely out.
Kids don’t like spinach? Puree the spinach then add to to the egg mixture. You now have green eggs and ham!
These are also good cold (like a quiche) or heated back up for 30-60 minutes in the microwave.

Nutrition information per casserole

Calories: 115; total fat: 6 g; saturated fat: 2 g; polyunsaturated fat: 1 g; monounsaturated fat: 2 g; cholesterol: 226 mg sodium: 404 mg; carbohydrates: 2 g; dietary fiber: 0 g; protein: 13 g; vitamin A: 485.0 IU; vitamin D

Weight Watchers POINTS per casserole = 2

More healthy back to school breakfast ideas from This Mama Cooks!

Back to school with a healthy breakfast: Coffee Cup Egg Scramble

2010-08-28T20:56:07Z

School starts today! This year we’re in charge of the morning carpool, which means I need breakfast recipes that are delicious, healthy and quick to make so I get my kids out the door on time.

Serving eggs is a great way to start a child’s day since they’re a great source of protein. Here’s a recipe that is easy enough for your older child to make on his or her own, while you’re getting the younger ones out of bed.

Coffee Cup Egg Scramble

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 45 to 60 seconds

Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

2 eggs
2 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to take

Directions:

Coat a 12-ounce microwave-safe coffee mug with cooking spray.
Add eggs and milk, and beat until blended.
Microwave on HIGH 45 seconds.
Take mug out of the microwave and stir.
Place mug back into the microwave and cook for another 30 to 45 seconds longer, or until eggs are set.
Top with cheese and season with salt and pepper.

This Mama’s tips

Microwave ovens vary. Cooking times may need to be adjusted.
You can make it lower in fat by using a low fat cheese, skim milk, one whole egg and a three egg whites or 1/3 a cup of liquid egg whites.
Instead of cheese, add a few spoonfuls of salsa.
You can eat the eggs right out of the mug or pop it out on a plate and serve with a couple of pieces of whole wheat toast.

Nutrition information per serving

Calories: 215, total fat: 15g, saturated fat: 6g, polyunsaturated fat: 2g, monounsaturated fat: 5g, cholesterol: 440mg, sodium: 240mg, carbohydrates: 2g, dietary fiber: 0g, protein: 17g, vitamin A: 686.2IU, vitamin D: 49.8IU, folate: 51.1mcg, calcium: 190.5mg, iron: 1.9mg, choline: 258.4mg

Back to school healthy breakfast ideas

BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS BACK TO BREAKFAST - High-quality protein eggs provide energy for busy school days from the American Egg Board
Back to school egg recipes from the American Egg Board
Wrap and roll breakfast ideas from Pam Anderson of Three Many Cooks
10 Easy Breakfast Recipes for Kids from Real Simple magazine

Food, a guest post from author Mary Lynn Archibald

2010-08-28T21:13:40Z

Mary Lynn Archibald is a freelance editor and copywriter, and the author of two books: Briarhopper: A History, a memoir of one woman’s life from 1913-1945, and Accidental Cowgirl: Six Cows, No Horse and No Clue, a lighthearted personal memoir of a greenhorn’s life on a small cattle ranch. Her forthcoming memoir, due out in early 2011, deals in part with her life as a San Francisco chorus girl. You can find Mary Lynn at Wine Country Writer, at The Red Room and at Aaccidental Cowgirl.

As part of her WOW: Women on Writing blog tour, I’ve asked her to write about her life growing up on a ranch and growing your own food.

Food

I've been thinking a lot about the process of growing food, and of course, cooking it.

At the ranch where we spent 12 years growing our own organic vegetables and herbs, we had some magnificent meals, events that we spoke of often with awe, joy and appetites that wouldn't quit. I guess what they say about fresh air is true; one's appetite improves outdoors, not to mention the fact that we were doing so much physical labor that we were really hungry by the time we got around to eating.

Unfortunately, a lot of that physical labor involved the garden, the orchard, and the preparation of excess produce for canning, drying or freezing.

Most of our experiments in these areas went well, except for the time I had a huge zucchini crop (is there any other kind?) that went bad along with many freezer bags of Italian green beans, crookneck squash, homemade pesto (from our own Italian basil of course), and a small amount of organic beef we'd also grown ourselves.

What happened? You guessed it. We experienced a power outage at the ranch during one of our weeklong absences, and the frozen food, as they say, was history.

Guess who got to clean out the freezer.

Still, I loved planting seeds, waiting eagerly for the seedlings to come up, then carefully watching for the first tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, and other yummy crops.

One year we decided to grow Blue Hubbard squash, since we had lots of room for them to spread out in our nearly half-acre garden—which had apparently been designed to feed most of the 250 inhabitants of our mountain.

We chortled happily as we hauled the nearly 15-pound squashes from the garden up to the house, where we carefully placed them on the rug in one of the spare bedrooms. I think we harvested nearly eight gigantic squashes from two plants.

All was well until we discovered on lifting the last two squashes, late that winter, that they had rotted on their bottoms, and then stuck themselves firmly to the carpet.

I never liked that carpet anyway.

We generally cooked only for ourselves—plus the few friends and relatives willing to brave the long drive and the one-lane mountain roads to visit us. There were no restaurants on our mountain, so we had no choice but to cook.

Of course a lot of the local folks tended to drop in unannounced, as many of them did not own telephones, but most of them were so busy taking care of their own gardens, livestock and families that they didn't tend to have a lot of time to spend drinking coffee with me, nor did I with them.

The trick was, however, to always have some muffins or coffee cake in reserve, just in case. In the country, this means making it yourself. I tried to always make two of any of my standard goodies, and keep one in the freezer for occasional visitors.

My husband and I enjoyed finding ways to use our seasonal produce, attempting to make gourmet meals for each other, often without the appropriate ingredients. It wasn't a matter of going next door to borrow a cup of sugar or running down to the store for rice or fresh ginger or coconut milk.

The result, which I still consider a big but often dubious plus, was that we managed to learn how to be very creative with food.

More about Accidental Cowgirl

Accidental Cowgirl: Six Cows, No Horse and No Clue was declared a finalist for three awards: the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Humor, the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Memoir, and the National Best Book Award (NBBA) for Humor.

Read an interview with Mary Lynn Archibald at WOW’s The Muffin.

Learning about smart and healthy snacking at the SOYJOY brunch

2010-08-28T21:10:28Z

Last Sunday’s SOYJOY Brunch at the Estrela Penthouse Room at Le Parker Meridien was the perfect way to end a hectic, but wonderful BlogHer 2010 conference. Not only did I appreciate the beautiful and healthy food after overindulging all week, but the company of my fellow bloggers was a delight as well.

The group was also treated to some of the speaker’s recipes including the faux “chicken” salad (lower right) that was made from whole soybeans. It was delicious and will be appearing in Jackie Newgent’s upcoming cookbook.

After lunch, we listened to three terrific speakers:

Cynthia Sass, registered dietitian, sports nutrition specialist and author of The Flat Belly Diet who spoke on healthy snacking. You can see her talk on the This Mama Cooks! YouTube channel – part 1, part 2, and part 3.
Harley Pasternak, celebrity fitness and nutrition expert and author of The Five-Factor World Diet. Harley joined us via Skype. What a cool guy! Not only was he smart and funny, but he gave some great tips like climbing at least five flights of stairs a day is a great way to keep the weight off. I was given a copy of his book at the brunch and can’t wait to read it.
Jackie Newgent, chef, registered dietitian and author the Big Green Cookbook who gave us cuisine tips for naturally healthful snacking. I loved Jackie’s talk most of all because she cooks like I do. She uses healthy alternatives to high calorie and high fat foods and cooks using foods that pack a big nutritional punch, like whole soy.

I was able to video tape Jackie’s talk as well. All the videos are available on the This Mama Cooks! YouTube channel:

TIP #1: Favor the sweetness of fruits…every part
TIP #2: Turn up the volume with seasonal veggies
TIP #3: Befriend herbs & spices – use more fresh herbs and spices in your cooking
TIP #4: Pump up the “pleasurable pain” – add more spicy foods while reducing fat
TIP #5: Drink & eat tea – tea is full of health promoting antioxidants
TIP #6: Add a healthful dose of whimsy – have fun and play with your food
TIP #7: Play favorites – make your favorite foods more healthful
TIP #8: Do dips differently – find ways to make dips more healthy
TIP #9: Go a little nutty – add nuts to your recipes
TIP #10: Get real! - aim to keep snacks whole, fresh and minimally-processed whenever possible

Thank you SOYJOY

Again, I want to thank my BlogHer sponsor, SOYJOY, to making my visit to New York possible. It’s wonderful to work with a company whose product I use, enjoy and believe in.

You can learn more about my sponsor, SOYJOY, and my sponsorship at:

_______________

Disclosure: As a SOYJOY Brand Ambassador, I’ve been compensated for my time and efforts.